Helping Grieving Children in Brunswick Valley

Seasons for Growth trainees learn how to counsel children in grief.

Brunswick Valley Quota members learned about Seasons for Growth, a grief education program, during a training seminar offered by Quota International's 24th District in Australia. The program's senior writer, Dr. Anne Graham of Southern Cross University in Lismore, talked about the needs of children in grief—and the club recognized a need right in their own backyard.

The Brunswick Valley club sent three local parents to train as program counselors, purchased all necessary supplies for the course, including journals for each child who participates. Kids use the journals to capture feelings and reactions to loss in their lives.

This tranquil setting provides a soothing backdrop to parents who are receiving Seasons for Growth training.

The Seasons for Growth program focuses on understanding the effects of change, loss, and grief and specifically aims to develop skills in communication, decision making, and problem solving. Brunswick Valley Quota members hope the program will help curb drug abuse in their community brought on by family breakdown and loss as well as truancy, aggression, depression, inappropriate sexual behavior, and withdrawal—all signs of grief.

Children in the Seasons for Growth program participate in a series of activities designed to help them move through the grief process.

Grieving children explore important issues such as change, loss, feelings, coping, and memories.

For more information on the Australian program, see http://www.goodgrief.aust.com/nav.htm.

For reaction from local families in Brunswick Valley, click here.